Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Available Now! Paper Hearts by Kay Cove

 

Paper Hearts by Kay Cove is now live!


Pop princess, fake prince, real temptation—her big comeback just got wildly complicated.

After a very public meltdown and a canceled world tour, my music career is hanging by a thread. And now, my record label is all but telling me to kiss pop-stardom goodbye.

My PR team’s brilliant solution? A fake relationship with Hollywood heartthrob Grayson Hemsley—charming on camera, and absolutely insufferable behind closed doors.

But there’s a bigger secret I’ve been keeping. A teensy detail about me that the tabloids would have a field day with: I’ve never actually…done it. There. I said it. And I’m starting to think my music is missing that authentic spark of experience.

So, I hire an escort for a one-night solution. Taio Wilkes is gorgeous, kind, hilarious, and nothing like I expected. When he discovers my true intentions, he doesn’t take my money and run. Instead, he offers something I never saw coming—friendship, and lessons in the art of intimacy without rushing the main event.

Just when things get comfortable, the paparazzi catches us together a little too close for casual. My solution to the storm of cheating accusations? Make Taio my new bodyguard.

Now I’m caught between Grayson’s sudden jealousy-infused interest and my deepening connection with Taio, who is still suffering from the wounds of his past and claims he’ll never settle down.

With the deadline for my big career comeback looming, I’m questioning everything—if the spotlight is really where I belong, or if my happily ever after might be waiting somewhere offstage.

When your whole life is one big performance, how do you figure out which feelings are real, and which ones are just for show?


Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

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Available Now!! Love and Let Spy by Lexi Blake

 

Love and Let Spy by Lexi Blake is now live!

Canadian operative Ben Parker met the woman of his dreams while working undercover in Australia. That operation, to take down Emmanuel Huisman, was the singular focus of his life until he met Maggie. Now the hunt for his former childhood friend turned international terrorist often feels like what he does in between chasing the magenta-haired American spy he can't stop thinking about. She's the woman of his dreams, when she isn't being the stuff of his nightmares. Sometimes she is sweet and deliciously responsive to him, and other times she pushes him out of a plane without a parachute.

Kenzie Taggart knew Ben Parker was the one for her the minute she saw him. Unfortunately, he didn't meet her first. He met her twin sister, Kala, and they had to keep the secret. No one outside of their team knows they're twins. Everyone believes the operative known as Miss Magenta is one person. Kenzie can't tell the man she's falling in love with who she really is, but she also can't afford to lose him.

When faced with certain death on a joint operation in Nepal, Kenzie reveals the truth about "Maggie" and they spend their last minutes alive in each other's arms. It was perfect, and then a miraculous rescue leaves them in a difficult situation. Kenzie couldn't be happier that Ben knows the truth, but so does Huisman. He's determined to burn down the world, but not before he ruins his old friend and his newfound beloved. As Ben and Kenzie cross the globe in their quest to stop the madman, they might have to choose between saving the world and saving each other.


Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/4ltkb6j

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/1gDa3

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/3JalI3E

Nook: http://bit.ly/3HajKQi

Kobo: http://bit.ly/45bRgPd

Google Play: http://bit.ly/45KEQhs 

Lexi's Store: https://www.lexiblake.net/products/love-and-let-spy


Audible: https://bit.ly/41eqkLK

Narrated by Ryan West


Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3UXJ0ME

Book Review for Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

 

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict

Published:  March 24, 2026 by St. Martin's Press

Genre: Historical Fiction, Egypt

Taken from Goodreads:  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Benedict comes an extraordinary story of the woman who helped uncover Tutankhamun's tomb and the mystery behind Egypt’s first woman Pharaoh.

1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.

The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.

Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.

 

My Thoughts: Marie Benedict writes historical fiction books that are full of real history.  They are not always the BIG historical moments, but they are important historical moments.  This is the story of a woman, Lady Evelyn, that society only expects to become a wife, but she dreams of working beside her father excavating Egyptian sites looking for Pharaoh Hatshepsut.   Pharaoh Hatshepsut is the other timeline.  Sharing her rise to being a pharaoh and all the strength it took to be a woman pharaoh. 

The book is not a fast read, or it was not for me.  That was probably more on me as I wanted to read every single word, I did not want to miss anything.   Every part, both timelines, were written full of detail and attention that made the book come alive for me.  I felt like I was alongside Pharoah Hatshepsut and Lady Evelyn as their had their experiences and showed their strength.

 I love the dual timelines and how they intertwined perfectly.  Both timelines are based on strong woman stepping outside of what is expected of them and making a difference.  Each woman had a man beside them that supported them in their dreams and worked with them to help them achieve those dreams. 

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon


Meet the Author:   Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years’ experience as a litigator at two of the country’s premier law firms. She found her calling unearthing the hidden historical stories of women. Her mission is to excavate from the past the most important, complex and fascinating women of history and bring them into the light of present-day where we can finally perceive the breadth of their contributions as well as the insights they bring to modern day issues.

She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Queens of Crime, The Mitford Affair, Her Hidden Genius, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, The Only Woman in the Room, Lady Clementine, Carnegie’s Maid, The Other Einstein, and the novella, Agent 355. With Victoria Christopher Murray, she co-wrote the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian and the Target Book of the Year The First Ladies.

With Courtney Sheinmel, she released the first book in a a middle grade historical adventure series, entitled The Secrets of the Lovelace Academy.

Her books have been translated into thirty languages, and selected for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Target Book Club, Costco Book Club, Indie Next List, and Library Reads List.

Up next is her March 24, 2026 release DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, a sweeping tale of Lady Evelyn Herbert of Highclere Castle who unearths in Egypt the truth about a forgotten female Pharaoh — rewriting both of their legacies forever.

 

Monday, March 23, 2026

Available Now!! Snap Decision by Lisa Suzanne

 

Snap Decision by Lisa Suzanne is now live!


I broke up with one brother.
Now I’m engaged to another.


After a decade with Archer Bradley, it’s over for good. Now I’m trying to piece my life back together.
My first brilliant idea? Crash with my closest friend. The one who always has my back. My ex’s older brother, Ford.

Living with Ford was supposed to be temporary. Instead, it’s late-night talks and lingering looks.
The way he watches me when he thinks I’m not looking makes my stomach flip. The way he supports my dreams makes me ache for things I shouldn’t want.

One snap decision spirals into a viral fake engagement, and suddenly I’m planning a wedding to my ex’s brother.

I came here to get over one brother, but I’m starting to think I’m falling for the other.
If we go through with this, we could tear the Bradley family apart.
But walking away might cost me the one man I can’t imagine losing.

SNAP DECISION is a spicy Pro Football, Brother’s Ex, Friends to Lovers Romance from Amazon Top Ten Bestselling author Lisa Suzanne.


Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://geni.us/snapdecision


Amazon Audiobook: https://geni.us/SnapAudio

Audible: https://geni.us/SnapAudible

Narrated by: Tim Paige & Lucy Rivers


Goodreads:https://geni.us/snapdecisionGR

Book Blitz for Maiden Tomb by Cynthia Sally Haggard with a GIVEAWAY

 

Maiden Tomb
Cynthia Sally Haggard
(Twelve Cursed Maidens, #1)
Publication date: February 5th 2025
Genres: Adult, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Historical, Retelling, Romance

Follow twelve princesses down a dark tunnel into a grove of jeweled trees to a too-placid lake, where a prince will row you across to a gleaming castle to dance the night away. This historical fantasy—a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses folktale—drifts backwards in time from the Early Middle Ages of Sicily to the Bronze Age of the Trojan War. It is perfect for fans of Circe and Spinning Silver.

Sixteen-year-old Justice wants to release her sisters from the jaws of Father’s imprisonment. But what can she do? The easiest way would be to find suitors for them.

However, that is not so easy, for Justice’s elder sisters are strange. What with All-Gifted’s madness, Protectress’s hair writhing with snakes, Death-Bringer’s grief (not to mention her strange name), Shining’s scandalous doings, Maiden’s tart tongue, Shadow’s crippling shyness, no sensible man would want her sisters as wives. Which leaves Justice, the seventh daughter, the one who possesses a quiet authority.

Maiden Tomb, Book One of the Twelve Cursed Maidens series, is a clean enemies-to-lovers romance.

The original fairytale—about twelve young ladies dancing all night—sounds so jolly doesn’t it? But I don’t think Twelve Dancing Princesses is about dancing at all.

I think it is about death.

Why do I think that? Well there appear to be some elements to the tale that go back, way back, hundreds, no, thousands of years, back into the Ancient World.

First of all, being rowed across a body of water sounds like a thread of Greek Mythology found its way into this tale. It is very reminiscent of Charon the boatman rowing the souls of the newly dead across the River Styx.

Then there are those jeweled trees. Where do they come from? Several scholars believe that element of the story comes from the Tale of Gilgamesh, which may have been originally composed around 1800 BCE. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, a King of Uruk a city-state in Sumeria, who is grieving for the death of his best friend. According to scholars, Gilgamesh ruled the Kingdom of Uruk in around 2700 BCE.

Then there are the princesses themselves. Have you ever wondered why their are twelve princesses? Again, the answer points towards the ancient kingdom of Sumeria, which existed in what is now present day Iraq, beginning in around 6,000 BCE. The Sumerians were renowned astronomers who used a base-12 numerical system, unlike the base-10 or decimal system we use today.

And so, there you have it. When you dig below the surface, a charming story from Europe has roots in the Middle East and seems to be thousands of years old!

And so, when I came to write Maiden Tomb, a piece of women’s fiction that explores the all-too-often captivity of women, I put back all those elements. We have the Gilgamesh epic, and elements of Greek Mythology, complete with snakes, ancient gods, and powerful goddesses. And far from being a jolly novel about young people dancing, as the title suggests, I made it a book about death.

I hope you find this coming-of-age novella as enjoyable to read as I found it fascinating to write.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

In the past week or so since we’ve arrived, life has taken on a predictable rhythm. I spend the mornings entertaining the ladies of the castle, with the lyre, my singing, playing knucklebones, and listening to their gossip. Truth to tell, nothing they say is particularly interesting as high-born ladies spend their time inside. When they are not diverting themselves with such pastimes as I provide, they are spinning, weaving, running the household, and caring for their children. They talk incessantly about their children. They know little of the outside world.

I escape after the midday meal, taking advantage of the ladies’ habit of resting as the sun’s chariot crests at the highest point of the day. While they sleep, I head out into the scorching countryside looking for Father.

We sit together in the shade, while Father does some task, usually repairing something, while I tell him everything I’ve learned the evening before. It is not that hard. Because I am small, and people are now familiar with my face, no one pays me any mind as I take my seat at the bench that runs along the side of the huge table where all the working folk of the castle eat their meals.

Father has told me never to be inquisitive, but I am dying to know more about the twelve mysterious ladies locked up in the castle tower, the ones people whisper about behind their hands when they think no-one is noticing.

As the light of the sun drains from the sky, as the king’s men sink lower onto wooden benches eating dish after dish, quail, pheasant, peacock, duck, eggs, bread, olive oil, wine, and olives, the noise of seven hundred men sharing jokes, laughing, and swilling wine reverberates around the hall.

Finally, I can take it no more.”Is it true what they say about the King’s daughters?”

The grizzled stranger on the bench next to me wipes the grease off his mouth with the back of a hand and spits out an olive pit.

“Where’ve you popped up from? You shouldn’t be here. You’re only a young lad.”

I am used to these remarks. After I left home I took a ship that was blown off course, taking me west to the land of the Italoi. I had to beg for money in the streets and in the taverns and it was not long before I heard news of Father, who was sailing to the west of this land.

And so I made my way across steep mountains before coming down to a lush plain. Playing my lyre to entertain strangers I followed their directions to the sea, to a wide bay within sight of a simmering, high, conical-shaped mountain.

And there, in a tavern, I met Father.

Now we are traveling home together. But Father is not here on the bench beside me, as he should be, but outside at a nearby farm pretending to be a stable hand.

This is one of Father’s clever strategies. He is a master at extracting information. He calls his strategy “divide and conquer” and it means that I have to use my lyre to find a berth for the night in some local chieftain’s house. This is not usually difficult, especially if there are ladies around because for some reason they always want to pet me.

Meanwhile, Father finds work on the outside as a shepherd, farmhand, or stable boy. By concealing his origins and pretending to be dumb, drunk, or both, Father is able to overhear a great many things. We have a plan to meet every day at noon, I escaping the blandishments of the ladies to visit the local farm for milk, cheese, eggs where I could happen upon the new stable boy, farmhand, or shepherd.

The only fly in the ointment is my age. I am only twelve years old and to my great annoyance, I look it. So Father made me memorize some phrases to offer when this issue arises.

“Father is here with me, but is suffering with an ache to his belly.”

One sentence is usually enough for most people. Father has instructed me never to offer explanations that are not asked for as it only makes people more curious.

But the fellow is staring at me, waiting for more.

I turn my eyes down. “Father told me to eat supper and then berth with him in the stable yard.”

“He’s the new stable hand, is he?”

I nod.

“Much good he’ll be with a bellyache.”

I look up. “Do you have a remedy for that good sir?”

Father always stresses the importance of asking for advice when a conversation turns sour, as it flatters the vanity.

The fellow hawks and spits, rising from his seat. “You’ll have to go to the kitchens for that, son.” He ambles off.

Author Bio:

Cynthia Sally Haggard was born and reared in Surrey, England. About 40 years ago, she surfaced in the United States, inhabiting the Mid-Atlantic region as she wound her way through four careers: violinist, cognitive scientist, medical writer, and novelist.

Her first novel, Thwarted Queen, a saga set in 1400s England with a Game of Thrones vibe, won the 2021 Gold Medal IPPY Award for Audiobook. Her second novel, Farewell My Life, a dark historical about a hidden murderer, won the 2021 Independent Press Award for Women’s Fiction and was the 2019 Distinguished Favorite for the New York City Big Book Award.

Cynthia graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University, Cambridge MA, in June 2015.

When she’s not annoying everyone by insisting her fictional characters are more real than they are, Cynthia likes to go for long walks, knit something glamorous, cook in her wonderful kitchen, and play the piano.

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GIVEAWAY!


Maiden Tomb Blitz


Friday, March 20, 2026

Book Blitz for Secrets of the Midwife by Ann Ormsby with a GIVEAWAY

 

Secrets of the Midwife
Ann Ormsby
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: March 18th 2026
Genres: Women’s Fiction

Anabel Leigh has spent years pouring herself into her career, polishing her image, and protecting her fragile heart after too many losses. But everything changes when a stranger presses a baby into her arms in a crowded New York park and vanishes. The child’s golden hair and trusting eyes stir a deeply personal longing Anabel thought she’d buried forever.

What begins as a surreal moment unravels into a storm of headlines and police questions.

Savannah Maas knows the truth. She’s hiding on a farm in Georgia, living by a different code—one forged from secrets, desperation, and choices that blur the line between compassion and crime.

As the world closes in, each woman struggles to keep her dreams from crumbling. For one, receiving the baby is a miracle. For the other, the handoff is a devastating mistake.

Heart-stirring and suspenseful, Secrets of the Midwife is a story of hope, resilience, and the unexpected ways love finds us.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

EXCERPT:

I am sitting in the little park situated between the town clerk’s office where happy couples come rushing down the steps, laughing and kissing after tying the knot, and the family court where some of them will end up, when things go badly. As I eat my lunch, I chuckle to myself at the irony of these two tall, brick buildings facing each other like powerful gods who already know our fate, providing what we need when we need it.

The thick scent of the candied hazelnuts cooking in a nearby vendor cart wafts over me in the cool April breeze. I pull the collar of my trench coat up around my neck and tighten the knot in my silk scarf. Collecting the wrapper from my sandwich, I put it back in the brown paper bag as my eyes catch a stooped old woman pushing a double stroller with two girls in it.

The one closest to me is a baby with golden blonde hair. Maybe a little more than a year old. I can’t take my eyes off her. The other girl has thick brown hair and looks to be about four years old. They make their way down the path to me, and then, without warning, the older girl unbuckles herself, jumps out of the stroller, and runs into the crowd.

The woman yells at her to stop, but the girl keeps running, weaving between the people walking through the park. After unbuckling the smaller child, the woman picks her up and thrusts her into my lap.

“Hold her,” is all she says before she runs after the other girl, leaving the stroller behind.

I look down at the small face staring up at me. The child does not seem afraid, relaxed even. She explores my face as a growing tension rises in my chest. Groaning in frustration, I stand up, holding the baby in my arms, shifting her weight to my hip, and desperately search the crowd for the woman or the other little girl. They’re gone. My first inclination is to go after them, but after a few steps I stop. What am I doing? I’m holding a child who isn’t mine in the middle of a public New York City park. My armpits grow wet with sweat, and I loosen the scarf around my neck.

Wondering what to do, I go back to the bench and sit down. Without thinking, I smooth the girl’s wavy blonde hair, tucking a piece behind her tiny ear. Time passes and the woman does not return. Panicking, I’m afraid to leave the bench because I want the woman to know where to find me. Assuming she’s coming back. The baby rests her head on my shoulder, and her beautiful blue eyes study me. Without disturbing her, I raise my arm, pull up the sleeve of my coat, and look at my watch. It’s getting late. I have to go back to work.

Twenty minutes pass. Without hope, I stand up again and look for the woman. The lunchtime crowd is starting to grow thin, and I am beginning to feel desperate. After pulling my cell phone out of my bag, I call 911 and the operator says she will send a patrol car.

The minutes tick by slowly. The wait is agonizing. Finally, a squad car pulls up, and I watch as two officers get out, walk to the gate, and scour the park. A man and a woman. They look so young, fresh-faced with heavy equipment hanging off their belts. They see me, and I stand up with the girl who is starting to feel heavy in my arms.

When they reach me, the male officer asks, “Did you call 911?”

“Yes. I was just sitting here, and a woman wearing a scarf and a long skirt gave me this baby.” I stammer knowing how incredulous it sounds.

The officers stare at me, then at the baby.

Finally, the female officer takes a pad out of a box on her belt. “What’s your name?”

“Anabel Leigh.”

“Where do you work?”

I tip my chin in the direction of my building. “Right there.”

“No. What’s the name of your employer?” she asks with annoyance.

“Oh, sorry. C&W Communications.”

“Okay. So, what did the woman look like? Where did she go?” She continues to question me.

“Yes, I need to go back to work. Will you take her?” I try to peel the baby away from my shoulder.


Author Bio:

"Ormsby has a wonderful eye for character and detail, as she fleshes out a keenly observed portrayal of small-town life." ~ Kirkus Review

"The Recovery Room" was a winner at the 2014 Paris Book Festival.

Ann Ormsby is a freelance writer with a master's degree in journalism from New York University. Her writings on reproductive freedom and other public policy issues have appeared in The Newark Star-Ledger, The Huffington Post, njspotlight.com The Westfield Leader and The Alternative Press. Her short stories have appeared in The Greenwich Village Literary Review, Every Day Fiction and hackwriters.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Newsletter / X

GIVEAWAY!


Secrets of the Midwife Blitz


Thursday, March 19, 2026

Children's Book Review for Helo Girls®: The Air Ambulance Pilot by Kodey Bogart

 

Helo Girls®: The Air Ambulance Pilot by Kodey Bogart

Published:  February 24, 2026 by Blue Balloon Books

Taken from Amazon:  We need your help to locate the patient and find a safe place to land. You’re our observer! Can you spot the landing zone in the distance?

Assist Zuri and her air ambulance team as they save lives! As an air ambulance pilot, Zuri must respond swiftly to locate patients in remote areas and transport them to the hospital. All the while, her team, including a skilled medic, works urgently to keep the patient stable during the journey until they can connect with the ground medical team. In this interactive and educational story, discover what it takes to work on a medevac helicopter, from preflight safety checks to securing the patient in the aircraft.

In Helo Girls®: The Air Ambulance Pilot, board MED Flight One and support Zuri and her team on their critical mission to deliver a patient to safety. As the observer, you will find the patient, identify a safe landing zone, and be part of an urgent rescue. With engaging illustrations and exciting activities, The Air Ambulance Pilot is perfect for daring young readers eager to learn something new. Transport yourself into the world of aviation and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) and get ready for an air ambulance adventure!

My Thoughts: Helo Girls is a great series that empowers young girls (and boys) to look at careers that they may not be aware of.   An ambulance air pilot is not a job that is common.  I love that it tells of the responsibilities from before takeoff, getting a call, and handling the helicopter.

The illustrations in the book are large and easy to look at and see what is being told in the story.  The adventure of the story will keep young readers’ attention. 

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to sharing with young girl readers.

Thank you Blue Balloon Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Meet the Author:  Kodey Bogart is a former United States Army warrant officer and aviator who flew the Blackhawk during medical evacuation missions. She is a decorated combat veteran who has received two Air Medals and a Sikorsky Rescue Award. Kodey has extensive experience across aviation operations, including aviation safety, flight training, maintenance test flights, helicopter air ambulance, and aviation law enforcement.

Kodey lives with her husband and children in Merritt Island, Florida. She loves to share her passion for aviation, especially with her daughter and sons, by showing the diversity in the mission. The sky is not the limit!

Book Review for Show Me Forever by Jennifer Sucevic

 

Chicago Railers Hockey #3

Show Me Forever by Jennifer Sucevic

Published:  March 19, 2026

Genre:  Hockey Romance

Taken from Goodreads:  From Top 30 Amazon and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Sucevic comes a steamy, pro hockey romance featuring a one-night standsurprise pregnancyforced proximity, and a hero who falls first and harder than he ever expected.

I thought I had Oliver Van Doren all figured out.
The Railers’ star forward with the charm of a devil, the discipline of a toddler, and a talent for creating messes I always get stuck cleaning up. We’re barely friends and definitely better off pretending the sexual tension humming between us isn’t combustible.

It’s the only explanation for how one moment of weakness turns into a night I can’t forget.
And the worst part? I can’t stop.
It’s too damn good.

Two pink lines change everything.

Suddenly I’m living with the one man who knows exactly how to get under my skin. Only Oliver isn’t who I thought he was. He’s patient. Attentive. Protective. And somehow, day by day, he makes it impossible to pretend he’s not everything I’ve been too terrified to want.

Now I can’t help wondering if what started as a mistake…
Might just be the beginning of forever.

My Thoughts:  Hockey romance is my jam.  I devoured this book.  Show Me Forever is the third book in the Chicago Railers Hockey Series but I have not read the first two.   I do not feel that I missed anything and love that I could pick up book three and jump right in.

Oliver, Big O, is a star hockey player with a player history when it comes to women.   Until Rina entered his world.  He claims her right away and never let’s go.  She pushes him away; he pulls her closer.  Two pink lines telling Rina she is pregnant only makes Oliver want her more and Rina more scared to commit.  I like that he was persistent in his chasing of her and did not let her give in to her fears.  

I am looking forward to the next book in this series.  I will be thrilled to get to know a new couple and catch up with the characters that I have already met.

Thank you Valentine PR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. 

Add to your MUST-READ list in Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Post from Kelli A Wilkins, Author of Loving a Wild Stranger

 

Love Historical Romances? Try Loving a Wild Stranger

By Kelli A. Wilkins
www.kelliwilkins.com


Hi everyone,

 

Today I’m sharing an inside look and an excerpt from my historical romance, Loving a Wild Stranger. This full-length pioneer-wilderness romance is set in the Michigan Territory and blends adventure with a sensual love story.


Here’s the summary:

 

Loving a Wild Stranger


A woman running from her past… straight into the arms of an untamed man

 

In a moment of desperation, Kathleen Stanton flees her pampered life in Kingston, New York and ends up stranded in a small town in the Michigan Territory. Out of money and forced to rely on her instincts, she impersonates a handsome stranger’s mail-order bride.

 

Committed to her deception, Kathleen calls herself Michelle and starts her new life with Luther in an isolated cabin in the wilderness. Luther can’t believe his luck when his beautiful bride arrives, but something doesn’t feel right about his new wife. Michelle has terrifying nightmares involving a man named Roger and is reluctant to talk about where she came from.


Luther’s friend, Redfeather visits and tries to convince Luther to send Michelle back east. Distrusting Michelle, he warns Luther that his bride is not what she seems. But Luther is in love with Michelle, and he is harboring a secret of his own—one that might force Michelle to reject him when she learns the truth.

Michelle falls in love with Luther and adapts to her new way of life. Together, they face off against brutal townspeople and overcome harsh living conditions. When they finally give in to their desires and agree to become a proper man and wife, a dark figure from Michelle’s past resurfaces and threatens to destroy everything.

 

***

 

The idea for this book started with a simple premise: a woman on the run impersonates a mountain man’s mail-order bride and lives in his cabin in the woods. From there, I thought about the characters and how they would interact, learn to live with each other, and naturally, fall in love. 

 

But before I started writing, I went to the library and did a lot of research. First, I had to decide on the time period. When and where I set my story would determine all the necessary details that bring the characters to life—and also influence the plot.

 

Once the time period was finalized, I needed to learn aboutmail-order brides, fur trapping and trading, Native Americans, and get an overall feel for what life was like back then. As I wrote the book, I incorporated my research as background information. This gives the story a rich historical feel without going overboard with details that might bog down the book or bore readers.

 

I had a lot of fun creating the characters and all the conflicts that take place between them. Michelle and Luther are very different peoplesort of like a city mouse and a country mouseand I played on their differences in lifestyles, clothing, expectations, etc. throughout the book. When Luther’s friend Redfeather arrives, Michelle realizes how far she is out of her comfort zone and begins to see her situation (and Luther) in a new light.

 

As Luther and Michelle get to know each other (and fight for each other) they realize they have a lot more in common than they once thought. They both had to fend for themselves to survive in a rough world, with little or no family support. This brings them closer together and makes their love stronger.

 

I enjoyed writing this book, and I hope readers will fall in love with the characters the way I did.

 

Here’s an excerpt:

 

Kathleen’s knees shook as she strode down the sidewalk toward the livery. She had to get out of the store before there was trouble. She felt sorry for that man, Luther. He’d seemed nice enough when he gave her back her glove.

The coach waited near the livery, and her trunks still sat on the sidewalk. She had some time left. What should she do? She didn’t dare get back on the coach, but this town was awful and she didn’t want to stay here. Perhaps she could throw herself on the mercy of the church. There had to be one somewhere and the reverend would take her in. Or would he?

Kathleen crossed the street and entered the livery. A round-faced man slouching behind the counter straightened up.

“You must be from the stage,” he said, gazing at the front of her dress.

She folded her arms across her bosom and looked him square in the eye. “How did you know?” she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Because I’ve been with all the women in town and you ain’t one of ’em. You Clyde’s new girl? I’d pay two dollars for a night with you.” He winked.

“How dare you! I’m looking for the church.”

The man spit a stream of tobacco juice on the floor next to her brown boots. “We ain’t got a church. If you ain’t the new whore, then what are you doin’ here?”

She spotted the newspaper the man had open on the counter in front of him. An advertisement for wedding lace gave her an idea. “I’m a mail-order bride.”

“That so?” He scowled. “Who’s the lucky man?”

Kathleen twisted her skirts and tried to stall for time. “There’s a problem with the papers you see…”

She glanced out the window. The driver stood near the coach, scratching his head. A second later, she heard the familiar clomp of boots on the sidewalk. This was her one chance. It had to work. She had always trusted her instincts, and now she could only think of one answer. Her gut told her to take the risk. “Luther’s his name and—”

“Luther?” The liveryman’s eyes widened. “Well, you’re in the right place.” He arched an eyebrow. “You sure it’s Luther?”

She nodded as the coach pulled away. All hope of escape left town in a swirl of dust. Her trunks lay abandoned on the sidewalk. There was no going back now. This man thought she was a mail-order bride. She tried to remember what she’d read about them. It sounded simple, a man sent money to a company and they sent a wife.

She tensed as the livery door opened.

“Hey, Karl. I pulled the wagon—” Luther stopped as he spotted her.

She averted her gaze and smoothed her skirts, suddenly ashamed of her appearance. What man would accept her unwashed and dusty?

The liveryman laughed. “Hell, Luther, looks like ya got more than you thought goin’ home with ya.”

“What’s that mean?”

Kathleen closed her eyes. What had she done? This wasn’t a game anymore.

“Seems your wife came special delivery on the coach.”

“My what?”

***

Order Loving a Wild Stranger here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6M551H

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/4N1DGN

Read 5-star reviews here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/loving-a-wild-stranger

 

I hope you enjoyed this inside look at the making of Loving a Wild Stranger.I welcome comments and questions from readers. Be sure to follow my blog for the latest updates and visit me on social media!

Happy Reading,                                                   

Kelli A. Wilkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 9 mystery/thriller/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror, mystery, and thriller fiction.

Her latest book, The Route 9 Stalker, was published in January 2026. This mystery/thriller is set in Central NJ and follows Detective Jim Rourke on a disturbing new case. Meet him for the first time in The Route 9 Killer.

Kelli’s 24th romance, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in 2025.

In 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list, social media links, and more.